Never Too Late
by Marie218
Summary: "Damon I care about you so much. You're important to me even if you don't believe it. I can't lose you."   "You won't," was his reply...Elena decides to talk to Damon after finding out about his werewolf bite.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So I actually wrote this **before** the season finale. You'll know what I mean when you read it. Also I would like to thank luvthe heaven for beta-ing my story! She was really helpful and pointed out alot of my mistakes. Enjoy!

Disclaimer:I do not own TVD.

It was really quiet and dark walking towards the Salvatore library. No lights were on in the hallway and the only light was from the moon coming in through the windows. I did see the dancing shadows of the fire on the walls outside of the library.

I went in and saw Damon by the window staring at the sky. His back was against the wall with his head turned toward the window, he seemed to be in alot of pain. His face was emotionless with the occasional tightening of the jaw for the pain he was feeling, his skin was dull looking and gray, but the worst was his beautiful blue eyes; they looked sad and lost.

I hadn't talked with Damon alone since waking after the ritual. We were both busy with our own issues. I was mourning, he was dying.

"Damon?" I asked quietly walking into the library.

"Yes Elena?" He asked with an emotionless tone.

"Are you okay?"

He turned to me. "I'm just peachy," he said with that smirk I'd grown to love. His effort failed when he started coughing and almost fell over.

I ran over to him, and tried to help him up but he refused.

"I'm fine Elena!" he said pulling himself up and grunting as he did so.

"I'm just trying to help you!" I yelled back at him.

"Well I don't need your help." he told me walking over to the couch and sitting on the arm of it.

He was being stubborn and it was pissing me off. Which is one of the many things we have in common. Neither of us knows how to accept help when it is handed to us, we want to do things on our own.

"Damon please let me help you," I said pleading. I crouched down to look him in the face.

"No," he said sternly.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to take my last breath knowing you were only doing this out of pity and regret," Damon said staring straight into my eyes.

I saw the pain he felt and it made me want to hold him in my arms till he realized I was doing this because I care, I truly deeply care for Damon on a level no one understands.

"Damon I'm not doing this out of pity and regret, I'm doing this because I care about you and you're important to me." I said.

Damon just sat there looking at me with sorrow filled eyes. We just sat there staring at each other. His eyes soon started to glaze over like he wanted to cry.

He put his hand on my cheek and rubbed small circles with his thumb. "I'm sorry for everything I've put you through and everything I've done to hurt you and make you hate me."

I gave a small smile and grabbed his hand into mine. "Damon I've realized I could never hate you. What I hate is your impulses and actions, but I could never hate you."

"Thank you, Elena," he said nodding. Then he got up to leave. He started to stumble a little when he realized he couldn't see as well as he used to in the dark.

It pained me so much to think that his bite was bad enough to make his senses dulled. He probably felt like a useless human instead of a big badass vampire.

Damon was doing just fine walking on his own until he suddenly stopped and groaned in pain. He fell to the floor and started coughing hysterically.

I ran over to him and held onto him as he coughed. He was coughing so hard he started to wheeze because he couldn't breathe, and soon he was coughing up blood.

Damon had the side of his face on the floor while he coughed and was holding onto his side gasping for air. Blood was coming out of the side of his mouth and his face was vamping out. I stayed right by his side not moving an inch.

Damon moved his head to me and I saw the pained expression on his face. He was afraid.

"Shhh Damon, its okay I'm not going to leave you, I'm right here." He moved his head again to cough and so much blood spilled out of his mouth, some ran down his chin and onto his shirt. I tried to wipe some away but he kept coughing it up. The coughing subsided when he started screaming in pain.

I pulled myself over him and held onto him as he wailed. He had his hands on my wrist and was grabbing me really hard; I knew he was going to leave bruises but I didn't dare pull away. I didn't want to.

I could hear the whimpers and cries in Damon's voice and tears filled my eyes because of the agony he was going through. I saw a few tears roll down his face and I wanted to wipe them away but didn't want to inflict anymore pain on him by moving, instead I silenty watched him go through hell.

Half and hour later Damon's coughing fit and cries of pain finally ended but he was still breathing heavily and he'd started sweating. He was even weaker than before.

I decided that Damon needed some bed rest and he needed relax. I lifted my head off his shoulder and looked at him.

"Damon," I whispered shaking his shoulder a little bit so the screaming wouldn't start again in case his body was sore or sensitive from all the pain. Damon made a little noise to let me know that he heard me.

"You need to lay down okay? I'm going to lift you up but very slowly and I'm going to need you to help me. I can't carry you," I said quietly to him.

He nodded.

"Alright on the count of three were going to do this together. One, two...three," I said pulling me up as carefully as I could.

I had his arm around my shoulders so I could pick him up easier and he used his legs to help get himelf off the floor. We were hunched over and having trouble walking, but I managed to get Damon out of the library and into the hallway.

A few times Damon almost fell out of my grasp but he was strong enough to keep holding on until we got to his room.

When we finally did I wasn't able to turn on the light so I had to let the moon guide me. I went to the edge of his bed and laid him down. I went to the side of the bed that was close to the window and moved some pillows so he could get comfortable, then I hoisted him up on the pillows with little help from him.

When I saw that he was comfortable I moved off the bed, but I felt Damon's hand grab onto my wrist.

"Stay with me, please?" Damon asked with a hoarse voice.

"Are you sure?"

"Please?" he repeated.

I moved back onto the bed. I had my back on the headboard leaning on my left elbow with pillows underneath me. Damon's head rested against my upper arm.

He grabbed my hand and held it there on his chest while my other hand was gently caressing across his forehead. We laid there in comfortable silence with the only light coming from the moon.

Damon started calming down a bit. His breathing was almost back to normal and he started cooling down but he still groaned in pain sometimes and if it hurt to much he would hold my hand tighter and I would grab onto his. I tolde him to close his eyes so he could relax.

Tears started forming in my eyes when I realized I could possibly lose Damon. I personally witnessed the pain he was going through and it was unbearable to hear and see but I couldn't leave him when he needed me. The tears fell down my face when images went through my head of Damon on the floor crying in pain. I didn't want Damon to die but it was possibly the only way to end his suffering. I was selfish for wanting him alive and with me even though he was going through unimaginable pain.

"Elena don't cry," Damon said weakly. His eyes were still closed and he was caressing my hand with his thumb.

I rested my head on his. "I'm afraid for you Damon," I sniffed.

"Don't cry for me Elena."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not worth your tears."

I closed my eyes and felt more tears fall down my face. "Yes you are Damon. You mean so much to me," I said nuzzling my head closer to his.

Damon held my hand tighter and I held onto his.

"Damon I care about you so much. You're important to me even if you don't believe it. I can't lose you."

"You won't," was his reply.

I made a small laugh and sniffed, grabbing onto him tighter. It was silent after that. It was just Damon and me in his dark room holding onto each other.

As we lay there I felt Damon becoming more and more relaxed, and once in awhile he would mumble in his sleep. I caught a few phrases. He said something about Stefan and that he is sorry for hating him, he is sorry for what he did to Isobel, and something about caring for Caroline and Bonnie.

The one that caught me off guard was when he said "I love you, Elena." That's when he stopped mumbling in his sleep.

As the time went on Damon seemed to grow more relaxed and quiter. I realized he probably hadn't had any blood in system since late afternoon and I didn't give him any after he had his coughing fit.

I propped myself on my elbow moved closer to Damon.

"Damon? Do you want me to get you some blood?" I asked.

He didn't respond. I started to shake his hand to wake him up. "Damon?".

He wasn't responding to me. I let go of Damon's hand so I could use better force to wake him up when I saw his hand fall limply onto the bed.

I froze. Tears started to quickly fall down my face. "No," was all I could say.

"No no no! Damon please no! Damon wake up, please wake up!" I yelled at him. He didn't move.

"No! You said I wouldn't lose you! Damon come back please!" I moved his head so I could see his face better and I saw that his skin was pale and dull. Veins were showing on his face and arms like he got staked but they weren't as bad.

I pulled Damon closer to my chest and cradled him in my arms. "You said you wouldn't leave me," I sobbed.

I cried hysterically into his hair until no more tears could come.

I sat alone holding Damon's body in my arms sniffling and sobbing a little bit. I rested my head on his, grabbed both his hands close to me and held onto to him for dear life.

"I love you too, Damon."

A/N: I know this is way past due and what not but I really wanted to post it. Also I have a poll going on my page and I would love for some votes to happen! Thanks&Review!


	2. Chapter 2

Stefan

Caroline and I were walking inside the boarding house looking for Damon and Elena. We were all at Elena's house when we told her about Damon's bite, she said for us to wait an hour so she could talk to him alone. None of use were okay with that but we agreed.

Caroline and I decided we would go first to check on them and call the others if we needed to. So far Damon and Elena weren't giving us a reason not to call the others.

"Stefan lets just split up. Maybe Damon pissed Elena off and she went in one of the other rooms or something." Caroline said.

I nodded. "Alright if you find one of them call me."

She nodded and went to the other side of the house. I went upstairs to check the library, neither of them were in there. I headed over to my room to see if Elena fell asleep in there.

"Elena?" I called when I went to check my bathroom. She wasn't in here. I walked outside of my room but stopped when I heard sobbing.

I turned around and saw Damon's door opened a little bit. I noticed thats where the sobbing was coming from. I cautiously walked over to the door afraid of what I was going to find.

I opened the door a little more and saw there was no light turned on. "Elena?" I called out again, I turned on the light and was shocked at the scene before me.

Elena was holding onto Damon's body crying and I could see the reason for her tears, Damon was dead. I ran over to the bed and saw the pale and dullness of Damon's skin and his face was so lifeless.

I tried holding back my tears and looked at Elena. She had her head turned toward me and tears were falling freely down her face.

"Hes gone Stefan." Elena whispered to me and then she started to sob again.

My lip started to tremble and put my face in my hands. I had to get out of here, I couldn't see my brother like this. I started to run out of the room but I ran into Caroline.

"Stefan I could-" Caroline started but stopped when she saw my face.

"What happened, whats wrong?" She asked.

I looked down. "Stefan what is it?" She asked moving towards Damon door, she stopped short when she saw Damon.

"Oh my god." Caroline whispered putting her hand over her mouth. I saw the realization come across her face and then her tears formed.

I grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the room. "Oh my gosh Stefan what are we going to do?" Caroline asked crying.

"Call Jeremy and Alaric. I'm going to talk to Elena."

"No Stefan I'll do it, you don't need to see your brother like that."

"Caroline-"

"No Stefan, you call Jeremy and Ric. I'll get Elena." Caroline said going towards the door.

I didn't feel like arguing with her so I let her go talk to Elena while I called the others.

Caroline

I walked into Damon's bedroom trying to put on the brave act a best I could.

"Elena?" I called moving more into the room. Elena hadn't move from that spot since we got here. She was still holding on to Damon and crying her eyes out. These weren't tears of losing a friend these were tears of losing a lover, her other half.

I moved onto the bed and sat next to her. "Elena sweetie you have to let go of Damon. You need some rest."

Elena shook her head violently. "No Im not leaving him Caroline."

"Elena you've been sitting here a long time lets just go get you something to drink and maybe a shower so you can relax." I said trying to be soothing.

"NO Caroline I'm not leaving him!" Elena yelled.

"Elena please?" I said grabbing onto her arm so I could force her up. It didn't work because she started thrashing her arms around.

"Leave me alone! Im not going to leave him!" Elena screamed.

Stefan came into the room. "Whats going on?"

"She won't leave or let go of Damon." Caroline said.

"Just please go away." Elena begged.

Stefan walked over to her "Elena you have to-"

"Go away Stefan!" Elena yelled again. She grabbed onto Damon tighter and sobbed some more.

Stefan got up and walked out of the room and I followed him. I closed the door behind us.

"Stefan we have to get her out of there."

"I know Caroline but were going to need Jeremy and Ric's help. There the closest she has to family so she might listen to them, if not were going to have to force her."

I nodded and sat down on one of the chairs in the hallway waiting for everyone else while Stefan leaned against the wall.

His face was turned away from me and I knew he was trying to hide the tears that were falling down his face but I saw them.

I moved up from the chair and went over and gave him a hug. He cried into my shoulder and I just held onto him as tight as I could. Stefan was officially alone in the world. No family at all.

Stefan

After crying into Caroline's shoulder I felt numb. I didn't feel anything except empty, I lost my brother. My big brother, the one who protected me as kids, fought all my battles, risked his life in the war so I wouldn't have to. My saviour and hero was gone.

My back was against Caroline's shoulder and my head was under hers leaning against her. I was staring at a spot on the floor and Caroline had one of her hands on mine in her lap and her other hand was going through my hair.

I don't know how we ended up in this position but it made me feel alot better. We both stood up though when we heard the door open and footsteps coming up the stairs.

"Stefan is it true is Damon.." Jeremy started but couldn't finish.

"Yea Jer, its true." I said my voice low.

Bonnie put and hand to her face and started crying, Ric ran his hands through his hair, and Jeremy leaned against the door frame with his head tilted up trying to keep himself from crying.

"Wheres Elena?" Ric asked.

"Shes in there with Damon. She won't let go of him." Caroline said.

"So shes in there holding onto Damon's body?" Bonnie asked.

"Yea and we need Jeremy or Ric to talk to her to get her to let go of him if not, were going to have to use physical force." Stefan said.

"I'll go in and talk to her." Jeremy said.

"Call us if you need us." Stefan said.

Jeremy nodded as he walked past Stefan.

Elena

I knew they were all here. Trying to get me to let go of Damon but I couldn't, I wasn't.

I heard Jeremy come in to the room and heard the intake of breath when he saw Damon's lifeless body.

"Elena?"

"Don't Jeremy. Don't tell me to let go or to move, I can't."

"Elena you have to."

"No!"

"This isn't healthy Elena! I know you cared about him but you can't sit here forever and just hold onto him, he wouldn't want that for you! He would want you to move on and be happy in your life but your going to make yourself sick." Jeremy said getting annoyed.

"Jeremy I love him. It took me all this to finally realize I love him and now I can't leave him."

Jeremy moved closer to me. "Elena you have to. His body will soon start to desacate and you'll be holding onto skull. Let Stefan give his brother a proper burial in his family's plot. You'll always have a part of Damon right here." He said pointing to my heart.

"No Jeremy. Just leave me alone and I'll leave him when I want to."

"Its not healthy Elena!" Jeremy yelled.

"I don't care Jeremy!" I yelled back.

"You leave me no other choice. Ric! Stefan!" Jeremy yelled.

"Jeremy no please!" I yelled.

I knew why he was calling them. So the could force me to let go of Damon but I wasn't going down without a fight. I grabbed tighter onto Damon.

Stefan and Alaric came in with Caroline and Bonnie following. Ric and Stefan were on either side of me grabbing onto my arms but I didn't budge.

"Get off of me!" I yelled.

Nobody listend and I kept trying to fight them off but they were stronger.

"No! Please!" I begged once they got my arms off Damon. Ric and Stefan lifted me up but Ric held me back when Stefan let go of me to pick Damon up.

"Let me hold him one more time please!" I wailed. I tried to fight against Alaric but he was to strong for me. I gave into Ric and we fell to the floor. I pulled onto him and started crying in his shoulder.

"Shh Elena its okay, you'll be okay." Ric said in a fatherly manner rubbing my back.

"I love him Ric." I whimpered into his shoulder.

"I know Elena." He whispered.

I grabbed tighter and cried some more.

Stefan

I had Damon thrown over my shoulder and walked down the stairs with Caroline following. We moved quick in case Elena ran after us.

When we got to the front door Caroline opened it and we went to my car. I put Damon in the back seat and Caroline and I sat up front. Caroline drove though because I couldn't even remember how to put my keys in.

It was a silent drive to the cemetary. I did want to give Damon a proper burial but we had to get his body out of there as quick as possible. Maybe when everyone calmed down we had could give him one.

Caroline pulled into the cemetary and drove as far as we could get to my family's burial plot. I picked Damon out of the back seat and Caroline got two shovels from my trunk and we walked.

When we got to the spot I laid Damon down. I kneeled beside him and tears fell down my face. "Goodbye brother, I love you."

A/N: I'm making this into a three-shot so the next chapter will be the last.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the long wait. Hope this chapter makes up for it!

Stefan

Caroline and I returned to the house after burying Damon. Caroline did most of the digging I just put him in when she was done. Burying my brother was worse then anything I have ever done.

Killing people does not amount to the pain I'm feeling right now for putting my older brother in a grave. Im not sure when I will be able to overcome this, I just put the person I've loved since I was born in the ground.

As much as Damon and I fought all these years and threatned to kill each other, I love my older brother so much I would have never been able to go through killing him. Now it was a balance of nature that killed him.

Caroline and I walkd into the living room to see Alaric and Jeremy sitting on the couches. They both stood up when we entered.

"So is it done?" Alaric asked.

I nodded. "Yea its done." I felt Caroline rub my back in comfort.

"Where did you guys put him?" Jeremy asked.

"Jer." Caroline said in a warning tone.

"No its fine. We put him in my family's plot," I told him.

Jeremy nodded.

"Wheres Bonnie and Elena?" Caroline asked.

"Upstairs in Stefan's room," Ric said.

"Im going to go talk to her." I said heading for the stairs.

"Wait Stefan let me go talk to her first. I wanna make sure shes okay," Jeremy said.

"Alright, let me know when your done," I said.

Jeremy went upstairs and I went outside. I really needed to clear my head.

Jeremy

I walked up the stairs and went to Stefan's room. When I got there Elena was sitting in the middle of the bed with her legs pulled up to her chest. Tears were falling down her face but she wasn't making any sounds. Bonnie was right next to her, rubbing her back.

"Hey is everything okay?" I asked.

Bonnie looked up. "Shes just in shock right now."

"Can you give me in a minute with her?" I asked.

"Yea. Call if you need anything," Bonnie said getting up and leaving.

I walked over to Elena once the door closed and I sat at the edge of the bed and turned toward my sister.

"Elena?"

She didn't move.

"Elena come on, you have to talk to someone."

"Hes dead Jer and its my fault." Elena said quietly.

"Hey Lena no its not," I told her moving closer.

"Yes it is Jeremy. Klaus wanted me and Damon tried to save me."

"Elena we were all trying to save you, Damon was trying to fix a mistake he made when he gave you his blood, he did what any of us would have done," I told her.

"Yea but you didn't put yourself in front of a werewolf knowing that their bite could kill you," Elena said sobbing.

"Elena he knew the consequences but he didn't care because he loved you," I said.

Elena cried harder and pulled her knees closer. "I just want him back Jer."

I scooted closer and wrapped my arms around her. "I know Elena, shh its okay, I know you do."

"I feel so bad that it took me all this to finally realize I love him. I put him through so much emotional stress and for what? Hes dead now and he'll never know how I feel," She cried.

"Elena I think he always knew you loved him somewhere deep down. Thats why he always kept fighting for you, knowing one day you would be able to accept how he felt about you," I said.

"You make it sound like he told you personally," Elena said leaning into my shoulder.

"I've just noticed the way he is around you and what he really means when he talks to you," I said.

"Its like everyone noticed the way he feels except me," Elena cried.

"Yea but deep down you always knew."

Stefan

I was outside in the back leaning against one of the brick pillars. A million questions going through my head. What am I going to do now that I'm alone? Should I leave or stay in Mystic Falls? Do I want to leave Mystic Falls? Whos going to drink all the alcohol in the house?

I've lived without Damon for fifteen years but now that I know he is never coming back at all I'm not sure how im going to manage.

I was outside alone when I heard a familiar female voice.

"Stefan are you okay?" Caroline asked.

I nodded. I knew right now I couldn't trust my voice.

I heard her walking closer to me. "Stefan please talk to me."

"I kinda just want to be alone right now Care." I quietly.

"Okay." She said turning to leave. "Just know that I'm here for you Stefan. Always."

She started walking again but I caught her wrist and pulled her into a hug. She wrapped around her arms around me tight and I did the same, a few tears falling down my face.

Neither of us said anything and I was okay with that. I didn't want to do much talking anyway I just needed my closest friend right now.

Caroline and I stood like that for a few minutes until I broke us apart. She still held onto my hands though. "Do you need anything?"

I shook my head. "Is Jeremy done talking with Elena?"

"He should be finishing up here soon," Caroline said.

I didn't answer back. Talking felt so forgein, when I wanted to talk I felt like crying and I couldn't do that right now. Damon would tell me to toughen up and death is just one of the pitfalls of being a vampire. In a weird way his own personal wisdom and beliefs made sense.

"Stefan?"

Caroline and and both turned at the new voice. It was Alaric.

"Jeremys done with Elena." He said.

"Alright thanks Ric," I said.

Ric nodded and went back in.

Caroline turned to me. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yea I'll be fine." I said letting go of her hands and walking towards the door.

"Stefan your not alone. You still have all of us, were here for you."

I stopped. "I know Caroline."

Caroline walked closer to me and put her hand on my shoulder. "Plus your stuck with me for eternity and its kinda hard to get rid of me." Caroline said in a lighter tone.

I gave her a small smile and hugged her again. Once we let go I went inside the house.

Elena

Jeremy left and told me Stefan was coming up now. I have alot to explain when he comes up here, I know hes going to be hurt but he has to know the truth. I don't even now right now if you can consider us broke up.

I sat there alone for a few minutes and heard face steps coming closer, I looked up and saw Stefan coming through the door way. He looked back at me but his face was blank, no emotion showing.

He walked over to the bed and sat on the left side, his back against the headboard and had one leg on the bed. We both sat there in silence for a few minutes until I spoke.

"I'm sorry Stefan."

"Its okay Elena, I understand," He said quietly.

I turned to him. "Stefan I don't think you do."

"I do Elena. I knew somewhere along the way you started falling for him. I was just hoping that it would be while before you started realizing your feelings for him," Stefan said.

"Im so sorry Stefan," I cried.

He moved closer to me and pulled me into his embrace. I felt comfortable but they weren't the arms I craved for. I leaned into his shoulder and let the tears fall.

"I never meant to hurt you Stefan," I told him

"I know Elena," He said.

Stefan and I just sat there as he held me. I cried into his shoulder and he rubbed my back. As I started calming down I knew I was going to have to bring up the question he didn't want to answer.

"So what happens now? About us?" I asked.

"Thats up to you Elena. How do you feel about us?"

I moved closer to him. "Stefan I love you, you know that but after finally realizing I love Damon I don't think its fair to be with you when he didn't have a chance. I know I didn't give him one but since I finally realizied how I feel about him I don't think its right."

Stefan just nodded. "Okay."

I see the sadness in his eyes but I knew this is what I had to do. I owed it to Damon.

Caroline

I was putting on my heels getting ready to go to the cemetary. I had already finished dressing and my make-up so I was almost out the door.

Today was Damon's ceremony. It was probably the worse day for everybody, we all lost Damon in some way. Stefan lost his big brother, Elena lost her lover, Alaric lost his best friend, Jeremy and I also lost someone who was like our big brother and even if neither of them admitted it, Bonnie lost a very good friend.

Damon was like a brother to me even though we were together before. He would tease me and he had those nicknames for me, and sometimes he would wrestle with me, Damon would call it training for the real thing.

I noticed the way he was with Jeremy. When Jeremy would ask him something that was bugging him Damon would act like he didn't care but would always help him, when Jeremy needed to talk to a guy he'd go straight to Damon, when Jeremy was looking for a dude to hang out with first place he went was to Damon.

Jeremy didn't have anything against Stefan or Alaric I think that it was because Stefan was dating his sister and Alaric was more of a father figure to him and Damon just set off that big brother vibe.

I pulled up to the cemetary, got out and started walking towards Stefan's family plot. It wasn't in the normal part of the cemtary more in the way back with cluttered trees and vines hanging around. When I got there I noticed I was the last to arrive. I could just here Damon's comment.

_"You just had to be fashionably late, didn't you barbie?"_

I walked over to Stefan seeing that Elena already had Jeremy and Bonnie as her support group. Alaric stood alone but he was close enough to Stefan that if I got between them I was close to both of them.

None of us really talked we just decided to come together and have a moment for Damon, after everything hes done both good and bad we know he deserved this. Damon did the things none of could or wanted to do, he was the strong one out of us all.

After about half an hour we all started to leave. Elena, Jeremy, Bonnie and Alaric were ahead of me and Stefan. I knew Stefan wanted to walk alone but I was worried about him. After everyone went home the night Damon died, I texted Stefan a few times to make sure he didn't do anything stupid like stake himself, take his ring off or go on a murderous rampage.

I hated that I was being the clingy friend but I couldn't stop worrying.

Stefan and I walked side by side but I stopped when I felt a firm hand hold onto mine. I looked down to see my hand in Stefan's.

"Thank you."

I looked up to see a pained expression on Stefan's face.

"For being here for me," Stefan said.

"I'm your friend, of course I'm going to be here for you," I told him.

He grabbed onto my hand tighter, gave a nod and we continued to walk together.

Jeremy

I threw off my jacket as I came downstairs. Alaric and I took Elena upstairs so she could get some sleep, she hadn't slept in a few days. Elena wanted to talk to Ric alone for a minute so I came downstairs to see that Bonnie was in the kitchen.

"Hey, what are doing?" I asked taking off my tie.

"Making coffee. You want some?" She asked

"Yea sure."

"Where Ric?" Bonnie asked pouring me a mug.

"Hes up there with Elena she wanted to talk to him," I said undoing a few buttons on my shirt.

"I really hope she starts feeling better, you guys have been through so much."

"Way to much." I added quietly to myself.

Alaric came down the stairs and walked into the kitchen. "Hey."

"Hey is Elena asleep?" Bonnie asked.

"Yea she passed out," Alaric said taking off his jacket and tie also.

"What did she want to talk to you about?" I asked

"She just wanted to ask if I could help her with whatever financial problems and stuff come at you guys and if I could take custody of you if she can't when she turns eighteen,' Alaric said.

"Shes already putting alot of stress on herself," Bonnie said.

"You know Elena she has to be in control," Alaric said.

"Theres gotta be something we can do to get her to relax," I said.

"Like what? Its not like we can give her a holiday vacation," Ric said.

"But we can give her closure," Bonnie said out of nowhere.

Ric and I turned to Bonnie giving her confused looks.

"What?" I asked.

"We can give her closure about Damon and their feelings," Bonnie said.

"How are we supposed to do that?" Ric asked.

"Well you guys can't but I can. I just need you guys to get the stuff," Bonnie said getting up.

"Bonnie wait what are you talking about?" I asked.

"I can let Elena talk to Damon."

"How?" I asked.

"Its a spell I learned in Emily's book. She would put people in this dream to help them come in contact with a person they miss most. They go into there loved ones subconscience and it gives them a chance to do unfinished business, its kind of like channeling a spirit but you can actually feel them, be with them and talk with them," Bonnie said.

"Sounds good to me, what do we have to do?" Alaric asked.

"I need something personal of Damon's like a shirt or jacket."

"I think Elena has a hoodie of his," I said.

"Damon wears hoodies?" Ric asked.

"It was an old one he gave Elena when it was raining one time," I told him.

"Do you know where its at?" Bonnie asked

"I think Jenna put it my closet thinking it was mine." I said.

"And let me guess your gonna need candles?" Alaric asked.

Bonnie gave a little smile. "Right."

A few minutes later we were in Elena's bedroom setting up the candles.

"So can you do it while shes asleep?" I asked.

"Yea it will be alot easier," Bonnie said.

"Are you sure it will work?" Ric asked.

"It was one of Emily's simple spells. It doesn't really take alot its mostly up to the person under the influence," Bonnie said.

"Everything is set up, are you ready?" Alaric asked

Bonnie got on her knees held onto Damon's sweater and started chanting. The fire grew and Bonnie had said both Elena and Damon's name.

Elena

Everything was cool, there was a nice breeze and the sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The ocean was a beautiful blue, it reminded me of the best blue I had ever seen.

I wanted to cry right now for Damon but I couldn't because I kept feeling happy, like the world was at my hands. I looked around and saw I was on a beach, I had no idea where though.

I looked around to catch anything to show where I was but I stopped when I saw a figure. It was a man, he was sitting on a rock, looking out at the sea. I walked closer to get a better view and I noticed I was wearing a white knee length dress. As I got closer I foze, the man was Damon.

I stood there mouth agape just looking at him. He looked so peaceful and relaxed. I guess I was somewhere in Damon's subconscience.

As I stood there looking at him, Damon finally turned his head toward me with a surprised look on his face. "Elena?"

I never thought I would hear that voice again. "Damon."

"How are you here?" He asked walking over to me.

"I don't know, but I'm glad I am," I told him.

"Elena you didn't...hurt yourself did you?" Damon asked putting his hands on my cheeks.

"No of course of not."

He dropped his hands from my face. "Then what are you doing here?"

"I told you Damon I don't know."

"Bonnie."

"What?" I asked.

"Bonnie sent you here."

"How do you know?"

"I can sense her. She connected our minds."

"Well Im glad she did," I said moving closer to him.

He backed away, I looked at him confused.

"Whats wrong?"

"I don't want you here Elena," Damon said.

"I though you would be happy that you were able to see me again."

"I am happy to see you Elena, you have no idea how happy."

"Then why don't you want me here?"

"Because this is someplace you don't need to be, Im at rest now."

A few tears fell down my face. "So you know that your dead." It wasn't really a question more like a statement but Damon nodded.

"Damon I don't want to leave you," I said to him.

"You have to Elena," He said with a hand caressing my cheek.

"No! I can't leave you again Damon, I love you!"

"I know you do Elena."

"No you don't! You died before I said it to you."

"Elena I heard every word right before I died," Damon said.

"Then why didn't you say anything?" I cried

"I was fading quickly," Damon told me remving some hair from my face.

"Damon if you know I love you then let me stay here with you."

"No Elena."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because I want you to move on from me. I want you to live a normal life, get as far away from the supernatural as you can. Live your dreams, do what you want to do. Grow up, go to college, marry someone, have a family, do the things I couldn't do."

"I don't want to do them if your not apart of them," I said.

"I will be apart of them because you doing them for me. I never asked you for anything Elena, except to love me back and you have but now I'm asking you to move on. Its time for me to stop being selfish with you."

"Damon you were never selfish, you just wanted something that you never had before. Im glad im the one who gave it to you but now that I finally realize I love you, I don't want to lose you," I said.

"Elena please? I don't want to lose you either but this is the one thing I ask of you before you say goodbye to me forever."

"Your saying you would be okay with seeing me happy with someone else?" I asked.

"I've been doing it for the past few months while you were Stefan even if I did cause riffs in your relationship, but yes I would be okay with it because your happy and thats all I want," Damon said.

I leaned into and hugged him, a few tears fell and he grabbed onto me tighter. I wanted to stay in his arms forever, I was going to miss his touch. I savored every second and remembered what his arms felt like, what he smelled like, what it was like to be held by him. I regeret never realizing my feelings before and I would regret it for the rest of my life.

"I love you Damon."

Damon grabbed onto me tighter. "I love you Elena."

We pulled away from each other and I looked into his eyes. I wanted to remember those beautiful blue eyes that held so much love and passion.

I felt Damon's breath come closer to me and I knew what was happening and I leaned into him. Soon our lips met.

I felt Damon press his hand against my cheek and felt his tongue ask for entrance and I gave it to him. As the kiss went on I felt myself losing contact with him but I held tighter onto him never wanting to let go.

As I felt myself breaking contact with him I heard his voice one last time.

"I am always with you Elena. There will never be day when your alone. I love you."


End file.
